Fading Genius
by Misguidedscience
Summary: When Cordelia flees, abandoning her pegasus sisters, never hearing their request to her, she is wracked with guilt, delaying her arrival at Breakneck Pass. With more death upon her head, and a festering hate of Plegians, will she be able to cope with being in the Shepherds? Or will she snap, crushed by the pressure? Rated T for violence and language.
1. Chapter 1 - Survival Instinct

Cordelia didn t have time to think. She knew she had to fly. As soon as the horrific images flashed before her eyes, she knew she had to fly. Was she doing the right thing? She didn t even have time to think about her morals. Risking a quick glance behind her, Cordelia felt a tear form in her eye. She wasn t doing the right. But she was doing the smart thing. Wasn t that a good enough reason to fly? To flee. Her pegasus whinnied, sensing her master s distress. Cordelia managed a regretful smile. She didn t deserve this. To have such a loyal steed. She didn t deserve what she had. The sounds of screaming and death flooded her ears. But she just had to keep flying. She didn t dare risk stopping. To do so would be to invite certain death. The same horrible murder her fellow pegasus knights were suffering. The same fate Cordelia had left them to. What kind of a pegasus knight was she? She should go back. She had to go back. But They would already be likely dead. Her comrades were already gone. She was alone. As she always had been, she supposed. Did her fellow sisters-in-arms ever care for her? Would they want to be saved by her? Saved by Little Lady Genius . Cordelia felt anger surge in her body. She wasn t a genius. She was just the same as anyone else, wasn t she? She wasn t any different to the other Shepherds. No. She was. The other Shepherds wouldn t have abandoned their comrades to die.  
"Why? Why did I give in to my fear? Why didn't I stay?" Cordelia choked back tears, as she started to unleash her guilt upon her steed. Though she knew her pegasus wouldn t respond, Cordelia just wanted somebody, anybody would listen to her. Who would make her feel better. Make her feel like she wasn t worthless. But there was nobody. She was alone. Without. Without friends. Without comrades. Without a purpose. Why was she even doing this? In her head, she was telling herself she was going to Breakneck Pass. To save Captain Chrom. But she wasn t headed that way. She didn t know which way she was flying. Just that she was. Flying. Away. Fleeing. Why wasn t she headed to Breakneck Pass? Why wasn t she going that way? The Shepherds were there. Chrom was there. Chrom. Cordelia felt her heart ache. What would she do if Chrom If Chrom were to die? What would she do if she knew she had failed to save Chrom? Would she be able to carry on? With the guilt and shame of learning that she had caused the death of the exalt s brother? Of the death of the next-in-the-line? Though that wouldn t be too much of a problem. Emmeryn's reign was going strong. They had averted her death. She wouldn t be killed, at least. But that was a horrible way to think. Measuring somebody's worth on how much chaos their death would cause? What of Cordelia herself? She was just a young pegasus knight, not even high in the ranks. Nothing more than that. She shook her head. Everyone s life meant something. She couldn t sacrifice anyone. Not like she had sacrificed No. She hadn t sacrificed them. They were going to die anyway. They were doomed, from the start. It was a harsh way of thinking, but it was the truth. Cordelia hadn't sacrificed anyone, had she? Could she have made a difference? Could she have done anything? No. She hadn't sacrificed them. She had just tried to continue their legacy. So she couldn t mope around. She didn t have that luxury. She had to fly. She had to soar.

"There she is! The last survivor!" Shouts of anger erupted from behind Cordelia. Wheeling her pegasus around, she readied her lance as the first wyvern rider flew into view, wielding a bloody steel axe. They were the ones. Who had murdered her comrades. They were going to pay. Gripping her weapon, hatred flashing in her eyes, Cordelia charged, directly at the Plegians. The savage barbarians who had taken her squad from her. Made her the only survivor.  
"We can't let her escape! Kill her, before she can run back to the exalt." But Cordelia was done running. She was done flying away from her problems, and pretending they weren t there. She was going to fight, survival instinct be damned. Striking forwards like thunder, she impaled the first rider, letting his body tumble down. Another wyvern flew into view, and her pegasus rose up, allowing her to attack from above. Her spear rushing through the rider s brain, she flew back down to face the rest of the army. A hand axe rushing towards her, she snarled angrily, as it reflected off her leg plates. Checking her armour, making sure it hadn t been pierced; she advanced forwards, hurling a javelin at the unprotected face of what looked like a novice rider. Though one part of her felt sympathy for the young Plegian, she knew this was war. And she couldn t afford to have mercy. Especially not for the monsters that had killed her squad. Not for the monsters that were threatening the life of the Shepherds. Not for the monsters that could be at this point, be killing her captain. They deserved no mercy. And they would get none. Hatred flashing in her eyes, Cordelia threw another javelin, once again killing another apprentice. It was almost like routine. Blocking a steel axe, trying not to let go of her lance, she pulled the reins of her pegasus backwards, forcing her opponent to drop his axe. Now that he was defenceless, Cordelia struck, a scream ringing out from the unarmed Plegian.  
"What are you doing? She's one pegasus knight! She withdrew from combat with us! Why are you failing against one weak recruit?" Cordelia snarled at the commander s comment. She wasn t a weak recruit! Just because she withdrew from combat didn t make her a weakling! She was fighting, wasn t she? She was getting her vengeance upon the wyvern riders, wasn t she? How dare that commander call her weak? She wasn t going to be weak! She wasn t going to allow herself the luxury of being weak! She would show them that she wasn t weak. Thrusting her lance forwards, she eliminated another wyvern rider, leaving just two left. Wheeling backwards, avoiding a clumsy hand axe, before replying with a precise javelin throw.  
"Do I have to do this all myself? Useless, incompetent... Listen up, you stupid pegasus knight. You'll never save your precious captain!" The leader rode forwards, armour plating his wyvern. A massive, sharpened axe was in his hands, and various throwing weapons were strapped to his back. His wyvern letting out a mighty roar, he hurled his first hand-axe that bounced off Cordelia s armour, though not without heavily denting it. Another axe flew towards her, this one piercing through a weak spot in her plates, cutting into her flesh. Tears of anguish and hate formed in Cordelia s eyes, as she dodged another axe strike. An angry snarl on her lips, she dived forwards, trying to attack the wyvern captain, but her lance failed to find flesh. Flying backwards, she struck out again, to much the same result. Gripping her pegasus reins tightly, she avoided a heavy, unbalanced axe blow. Exploiting her opening, she quickly hit the wyvern s unprotected side, though her lance didn t pierce the skin deep enough to kill. Retreating, she threw a spear, which deflected off the wyvern s leg armour. A snarl came from the rider, as he swung his axe, hitting Cordelia, nearly pushing her off her pegasus. Grabbing onto its back as hard as she could, she desperately tried to stay on. Swinging back onto her mount, she avoided the next attack, before flying off, trying to lose her attacker.  
"Flying away, are we? Flying away again? Just like how you abandoned your comrades!" Cordelia stopped, turning to face the wyvern lord.  
"Fool. That was a really genius move, wasn't it? You should've kept flying." A calm, controlled anger burned through Cordelia's veins.  
"Oh yes, I know all about your little nickname. Your comrades uttered it on their last breath. They cursed your name. Little Lady Genius." Without warning, Cordelia flew forwards, her lance narrowly missing the Plegian's brain. Attacking again, she speared the captain s throat, ripping her bloody lance out, her body still full of rage. Taking a deep breath, she started to calm down, her body tiring as all the adrenaline surged out of her. Directing her pegasus down to a small clearing, she dismounted her steed, preparing to take a short rest. Though she knew she had to reach Breakneck Pass, she also knew she would have to recuperate her strength. Looking up to the sky, she made sure there were no more wyvern riders. Made sure the skies were clear. Despite the fact they were, Cordelia still felt uneasy. She should have gone straight to Breakneck Pass, as fast she could. To make sure Chrom was safe. But her mind was a whirl. Anger, hatred, despair, sorrow, guilt. Every single emotion had a place in her head. Every single emotion was fighting in her brain, vying for control. Fatigue washed over her, like a funeral shroud over a corpse. Trying desperately to fight her tiredness, eventually she succumbed to her exhaustion, her eyelids closing despite her protestations.

Cordelia woke up with a start, sweat pouring down her face. The voices of her dead comrades had taunted her in her sleep, asking her why. They demanded to know why they were dead, why she had fled them. They roared at her, demanding to know why Little Lady Genius had failed them again. Like she had always done. Cordelia had desperately hoped it was just a dream. But the reality was that she had failed. She fled. Obeying her survival instinct, ignoring all sense of what was right. And now where was she? Nowhere close to her goal. Nowhere close to saving Chrom. Instead, once again, she had tended to her needs first. From behind her, her pegasus made a small noise, and she turned to look into the steed s seemingly-forlorn eyes.  
"I'm sorry. I've probably failed you too, haven't I?" Cordelia sighed. "Pushing you around all the time. Forcing you to fly, high-adrenaline situations. You'd like nothing more than to have a nice rest somewhere comfortable, and leave all this war nonsense behind. But I need your help one more time. I need to get to Breakneck Pass. I ve been running from it, for far too long. For far too long, I have been avoiding that place, for fear of seeing if I was late. I know it was a stupid thing to do, that by doing so, I was just increasing the chance of Chrom being killed, but I couldn t stop myself. I was giving in. But no more. I'm going. I m going to avenge my fallen pegasus knights. And I'm going to kill every one of those Plegian bastards. I'm going to make them pay." With a new determination, Cordelia mounted her Pegasus, setting off for Breakneck Pass. She had delayed for far too long, because she was scared. But she could no longer afford to give into her fear. Not yet. First, she would give into her anger. Give into her rage.

Breakneck Pass. Chrom looked around him. There were an advancing host of Plegians marching towards their position. Checking around him, to make sure his Shepherds were nearby, he prepared himself for conflict. Robin had their plan in motion they were to wait, until the first wave of enemy troops hit them. Then, when the Plegians were weakened after their initial assault, they would attack, driving back Gangrel s forces. They had gone over the strategy many times, making sure everybody understood. One wrong move could spell the end. Chrom had to give Robin credit coming up with such a plan, in such a small amount of time it had only been a couple of hours after the Hierarch had betrayed them. But Robin knew it would take time for the Plegians to reach time. Time they could use. And Chrom was thankful for it. It gave him a chance to prepare, to rally the troops for the assault.  
"Captain Chrom, look!" Sumia flew to her captain s side, now able to quell the feeling of unease she had.  
"I can see them. Nothing more than organized bandits, seeking to ravage Ylisse. But why are they even doing this? We seek no war with them. Their king is mad, consumed with nothing but hatred for Ylisse. He is unwilling to move on, and is trying to drag us back, into a time of darkness, and turmoil. He wants us to be cloaked in the same vengeance he feels, so that he can strike, and wipe us out."  
"But..."  
"I know, Sumia. But we do what we must. How long do you think we have, before the conflict starts?"  
"Another hour, at most." Sumia looked sadly at Chrom, still not understanding the reasons for this. Chrom tried to feign a smile, tried pretending it was all alright. But he knew he wasn't being believed, and he himself knew this wasn't going to be alright. The Plegian forces would be more well-rested than the Shepherds, and though they had a brilliant tactician, the Ylisseans had not entered Breakneck Pass expecting a fight, and therefore were not fully combat-ready. Robin had tried his best, but not all the Shepherds were all as ready as they could be. Chrom could only hope that, when the fighting started, everyone was prepared. If someone were to be caught off guard... That would be unthinkable. Chrom knew he would never be able to forgive himself. Or the Plegians.  
"Chrom, a message from Lady Emmeryn; she wants to retreat. She says Phila hasn't heard from her pegasus brigade yet." Chrom just shook his head, indicating they could not. If they were to show their backs to the enemy, the Mad King would surely take the opportunity to land a heavy blow to the Ylissean army, perhaps even cut off its head. Chrom couldn't take that risk.  
"I'm sorry. But we cannot afford to expose ourselves to the Plegians. They would surely try and destroy us. There is no more peaceful solution - we have to fight." Chrom knew the truth of his words, and though he wished he didn't have to speak them, knew that they were urgent for survival. Grabbing his Falchion, he thrust it into the air, letting the Ylisseans know they would have to fight. That it was time for war.

Cordelia didn t have time to think. She knew she had to fly. As soon as the horrific images flashed before her eyes, she knew she had to fly. Before those thoughts became a reality. She had dawdled, wasted time. How long had it been since her pegasus knight comrades were killed? Six hours, at least. Was Chrom's army already dead? Had the Ylisseans already been wiped out? Cordelia shook her head. She had to cling onto whatever little hope remained. If she fell to despair... She couldn t dare risk doing so. Taking a deep breath, she imagined the faces of those who killed her squad. That was better. Her sorrow had turned into anger. That she could use. It might not have been the most moral choice, but Cordelia couldn't care less. It wasn't moral for the wyvern riders to wipe out an unprepared opponent, but they did so anyway? What did the Plegians know of morals? What did the Mad King know of morals? Nothing. If he did, then Chrom wouldn't have been walking into an ambush, and there wouldn't have been a fleet of wyverns pursuing both him and Cordelia! Turning behind her to make sure that nobody was pursuing her, Cordelia felt her teeth clenching. All of her despair and anguish was now rage. Against the Plegians. Taking a deep breath, Cordelia let out some of that in the form of verbal insults. Though her fury would be useful, too much of it would force her into committing an act of recklessness, which was possibly more harmful than being shell-shocked and traumatized. Once her anger had subsided, she felt her mind was working much more clearly. She had to find Breakneck Pass. It was east of where her squad was ambushed, but she had diverted slightly south. So she needed to head north-east, until she found the familiar wave of blue that represented the Ylisseans. Simple. She wasn t expecting to be attacked, having wiped out one of the groups of wyvern riders. Though there were bound to be more, she knew she d have a significant distance on them, not to mention she could out speed them if necessary. But that didn t mean she could slow down. She was racing against the clock. She wasn t so much fighting the wyverns with her lance, but with the speed of her pegasus. Because that s what it boiled down to. How fast could she reach Breakneck Pass with the diversion she ended up taking? Her battle against the riders that had murdered her fellow pegasus knights may have ended up giving her a lead, but that was diminished due to her need for rest. But she knew she had to have that rest. Otherwise... She would have moved slower, for sure. She could have possibly been picked off by the Plegians, meaning her message would never have reached her destination. Meaning that there was no hope for Chrom. And Cordelia wouldn't let that happen. Chrom would survive this. The Ylisseans would survive this.

"So Chrom will not retreat? Very well, I cannot blame him. Though I had hoped for a peaceful resolution, it seems the Mad King will not retreat."  
"He will not, Lady Emmeryn. He seeks only our destruction. Only when Ylisse has fallen, and her people have been scattered to the winds, will his bloodlust be sated. I fear you are right, Phila."  
"But we mustn't give up hope. I mustnt give up hope." Emmeryn stopped, taking a deep breath, closing her eyes.  
"Lady Emmeryn? Do you have any information on the whereabouts of Marth? The lady who saved you during the assassination?"  
"No, but I'm sure we'll meet her again."  
"Perhaps."  
"Has word reached you from your pegasus knights yet?"  
"No, my lady. It is unusual for them to be delayed."  
"Do you fear the worst?"  
"Not yet, my lady. Not yet."


	2. Chapter 2 - Broken Message

Finally. Breakneck Pass. It had appeared in Cordelia's vision no less than ten minutes ago. And now she was here. All she could hope for was that she was not too late. That she had beaten the wyvern riders. Otherwise... Otherwise she had failed. And she couldn't let that happen.  
"Come on. We need to reach Chrom. Now." Diving downwards, Cordelia could feel the sounds of battle filling her ears. Screams of hatred and anger, of sorrow and despair, of pain and agony all mixed together into one tumultuous chaotic mess. Frantically, Cordelia's eyes darted around the battlefield. Where was Chrom? Where were the Shepherds?  
"This is no use. I need a closer look." Though she didn't think her pegasus could hear her, Cordelia still felt like her steed understood. Certainly, it helped Cordelia to utter her plans aloud, allow herself to make sure they were what she needed to do. Carefully decreasing her altitude, making sure no archers had aimed for her, she could make out some shapes in the fighting. But none of the Shepherds. It was just Ylissean soldiers fighting against Plegian soldiers, sometimes gaining ground, other times retreating, but always facing each other. Lances clashed against shields, again and again. It was like a melody of fighting. A brutal melody. Cordelia headed east, closer to the front lines. She knew Chrom liked to lead in the thick of the combat, and most of the Shepherds would stay close to him. They fought as a unit. Together.

"Captain Chrom! Look – in the sky!" Chrom finished off a Plegian fighter, before turning his gaze to where Sumia was pointing. A shape was in the air, heading straight for him.  
"Is that a Plegian?" Chrom stared with confusion at the figure, before realizing what it was. "That's a pegasus knight."  
"It's Cordelia!" Phila shouted, just loud enough for the Ylissean prince to here. "But she was stationed at the Plegian border. Does that mean..."  
"Has the border fallen? Are we under attack by both sides?" Chrom blocked a clumsy sword strike, before replying with his own, more careful attack. Parrying an axe blow, he pushed his attacker back, thrusting his sword into the fighter's chest. Looking around him, he saw another Plegian heading for Lissa. Grunting with determination, he charged forwards, his left arm taking the impact of the attack. Bringing his Falchion to the side, he struck into the man's stomach, creating a massive, gaping wound in the side.  
"Captain Chrom!" A shout from above. "We're in danger – a fleet of wyvern riders wiped out my squad. Gangrel was sending them forwards. Not only that, but more Plegians were on their way! We have to get out of here." Chrom shook his head.  
"More?" Chrom stopped for a moment. "We can't. Not yet. We'll have to press forwards – into the heart of the enemy." Chrom advanced forwards, cutting down another two soldiers, who were distracted by Ylisseans.  
"But-"  
"They've already killed two of our number – we can't let that sacrifice go to waste."  
"Who... Who died? How?" Cordelia flew upwards, before hurling a spear into the eye of an archer.  
"Miriel and Stahl. The wyverns that were following you... They reached here first."

"Miriel and Stahl. The wyverns that were following you... They reached here first." That phrase. As clear as day. Cordelia felt her heart begin to shatter into a million pieces. She had failed. She had failed Chrom. More than that, she had failed her fellow pegasus knights. What had she done? She had allowed her mind to be cloud by anger and rage. She had spent too much time resting. She had spent too much time fighting. If only... If only she had fled. Not listened to the wyvern captain. Brushed off his insults! Then maybe Miriel and Stahl would have been alive. But they weren't. Because of Cordelia's inability to ignore one damn insult. And now the Shepherds had paid the price. All because of her. Cordelia felt her frustration growing. Her fists clenching. A Plegian entered her view, and she snarled with rage, hurling a javelin straight at him. It was scary how satisfying it was watching the spear pierce his skull. But only part of Cordelia's brain was aware of how much she enjoyed killing the soldier. Most of her mind was too focused on her rage. Anger at herself, at the wyvern captain, at Mad King Gangrel, at these stupid Plegians... Cordelia took a deep breath, hurling another spear. Two of the Shepherds had already fallen. She wouldn't let any more die. She had seen too much death she had failed to prevent. And she was sick of it. Sick of running. Sick of letting others do the fighting. Throwing another javelin, Cordelia smiled with resolute determination. She was not running. Not anymore.

Robin looked around at the battlefield, evaluating the new information he had received. Though he was bitter at himself for allowing two Shepherds to be killed, he knew that now was neither the time nor place for such petty emotions. If he gave in to his feelings... More people would die. That was the simple fact. Blocking a sword strike, he calmly retaliated, ending the myrmidon's life. Opening a dusty tome, he ripped out a page, sending out a sphere of thunder from his hand. It smashed into another swordsman, stunning him temporarily. But that was all the time Robin needed. Rushing forwards, he quickly stabbed the myrmidon in the stomach, ripping his blade back out. Turning around, he ducked under an axe strike, replying with a careful stroke upwards, knocking the fighter back. Swinging his sword, he leapt forwards, his blade catching the Plegian in the throat. Scanning the battlefield once again, he noticed a bowman notch an arrow, aiming for Sumia. Acting quickly, Robin unleashed a blast of thunder, knocking the archer. More thunder erupted from Robin's hand, electrifying the Plegian, saving Sumia from the bowman's threat. Acknowledging her gratitude with a wave of the hand, he charged forwards, cutting down two unaware enemy soldiers, before summoning a thunderbolt to destroy a third. As an axe flashed in the side of his vision, he turned, blocking it as best as he could. Realizing he was losing ground, he quickly tilted his sword up, catching his opponent unaware. Exploiting this opportunity, his blade quickly met flesh, as it severed the fighter's head. An arrow flew past him, nearly hitting him, and he cursed under his breath as he noticed several archers upon the mountains, taking pot-shots at him, in relative safety. Desperately, Robin fired an orb of thunder which missed wildly, more than he had expected, despite the fact he knew it would be a long shot. Trying again, he snarled as the sphere, though closer than before, still managed to miss. Barely having time to dodge an arrow flying towards him, Robin felt a pain in his back. Spinning around, he slashed at the lancer that was attacking him, lopping off a leg. Quickly, he stabbed the Plegian in the heart, before drinking a vulnerary to try to ease the wound. But that left him open to the archers on the ridge, and his carelessness was punished with an arrow to the leg. Dropping to one knee, Robin tried firing off another blast of thunder, but, just as it seemed about to hit, the archer stepped to the side just in time. Cursing once again, Robin headed backwards, always keeping his eye on the archer. What could he do? It would take far too long for any foot-soldier to reach the bowmen, and cavalry would be slowed down by mountains. He had only one chance – a pegasus knight. If Sumia could strike the archers quickly, without being hit... But that wouldn't work – Chrom would never allow the plan. Not to mention Sumia was averse to fighting, ever since... Wait. They had two pegasus knights now. Robin smiled. He just hoped his plan would work.

Cordelia took a deep breath. The task she had been charged with was a dangerous one – to say the least. Not only did she have to reach the archers in the mountains, but she'd have to kill all of them as well, without being shot full of arrows. But she was the only one to do it – as Robin expected, Chrom had protested putting Sumia in danger. And when Robin had asked her, Cordelia knew she'd have to say yes. Not that she wouldn't have if she had the choice. She had to atone for her failures, and more than that, she had to kill those Plegian monsters. She would help the Shepherds win this battle, which had cost so many lives. And if that meant doing this, then damn the risks. Looking down, Cordelia waited for Robin to give the signal – a blast of thunder aimed at the archers. That would once again attract their attention, hopefully long enough for Cordelia to swoop down and kill them all. Lightning struck at the archers – killing none of them, but throwing off their aim.  
"Cordelia, now!" But Cordelia didn't need to be told. She was already heading for her prey. Striking at the unexpecting archers, like a sudden stabbing pain in the back, she flew back after killing one. Diving in again, she snarled viciously as blood splattered all over her, covering her damaged armour in a gory coat. One archer turned to her, but before he could alert his comrades, a lance was already in his throat, his warnings interrupted by a dying gurgle. Wheeling backwards, Cordelia aimed her lance perfectly, before rushing with surprising speed, killing the last of the bowmen.  
"Cordelia, there are more!" Robin shouted desperately, as another set of archers emerged from the mountains.  
"Flee! We need you elsewhere – these soldiers can't engage us yet." But Cordelia wasn't listening. As soon as she heard the word flee, her ears closed up, a familiar feeling of anger filling her body. She was not going to flee, not again. That was what... That was what led to all of this. Her fleeing.  
"Cordelia, no! I can't distract them." Robin's words were wasted. Cordelia had already charged forwards, hurling a spear at the first Plegian she saw. Narrowly dodging a speedy arrow shot, she flew straight into the archer who had tried shooting her, her lance piercing his stomach. Flying upwards, she impaled a third archer in the neck.  
"Cordelia! Stop this – listen to me. We need to you to help with the front lines." But Robin could have been talking gibberish for all Cordelia cared. She was an avatar of vengeance – a winged figure of hatred. She was going to avenge the dead. Punish the Plegians. Spinning her lance around to generate momentum, she killed the fourth and final archer, before returning back.  
"Cordelia. What the hell? What was that?"  
"Those Plegians had to pay. You weren't there, Robin. You didn't hear their screams." With that, Cordelia flew off, back into the thick of combat, leaving Robin alone to shake his head, as he dispatched yet another soldier.

Chrom heard the sound of wings beating, and looked up to see wyvern riders waiting in the mountains for the Ylisseans to near. Readying his weapon, he marched forwards, quickly blocking a particularly weak axe strike, before replying with a vicious sword strike. Gutting the fighter, he pulled out his sword, pointing it at the wyverns.  
"Shepherds – beware the riders, hiding in the mountains! They will try and ambush us – be on guard." With that being said, he held his position, making sure his fellow fighters could catch up. Though he wanted this battle over, Robin had advised that they would need all the firepower they had to break the commander's personal guard. He was apparently a fierce fighter, and unlikely to show mercy. And that was not the only bad news Robin brought. Cordelia, the pegasus knight stationed at the borders had disobeyed Robin's orders, opting instead to wreak her vengeance, despite the fact she was needed somewhere else. Chrom knew they would have to watch her, in case she acted out of turn again. But that would be a problem for a later date. Right now, Chrom had to focus on defence, fending off the Plegian attacks that came from seemingly everywhere. An arrow hit his left arm, causing him to grunt in pain, but it was not enough to stop him from killing a speedy fighter. Jumping backwards, to avoid another arrow, he turned to his left, parrying a furious sword strike. Blocking another one, he pushed his attacker back, knocking the wind out of the myrmidon. Swiftly, Chrom beheaded the Plegian, before cutting off another swordsman's limbs. A scream came from near him, and he saw Sumia impale an archer in the eye. Quickly rushing in front of her, to deflect a missile with his Falchion, he uttered his gratitude as Robin electrocuted the offending archer.  
"You okay, Sumia?"  
"Yes, Captain. I am fine, thank you. It's just..."  
"You don't want to fight?"  
"Not that. I'm worried. About Cordelia."  
"You two are friends, right? Do you know what caused this?"  
"Her squad was wiped out."  
"But there seems to be something else. Did she have any problems, with her fellow pegasus knights? Did she ever get into arguments with them?"  
"No. She never spoke about them being harsh to her."  
"We'll ask her after the battle. For now-" Chrom quickly killed a Plegian fighter, "-we have to end this fight!"

Riding forwards, Sully hastened to catch up with Chrom, shoving a lance down a myrmidon's throat. Though most of the enemies had been finished off, there were still a few stragglers here and there, not to mention the large host of wyvern riders accompanying the Plegian commander. Still, the battle was nearly won, and then they could return to Ylisstol. Smiling at the prospect of victory, Sully charged forwards, stabbing an archer in the chest. A hand axe flew from behind her, striking down the other.  
"The Vaike is on fire tonight!" Sully just shook her head, riding towards Chrom's position.  
"Hey, wait! Let Teach catch up!" Smiling, despite herself, Sully pushed her horse a little faster, making sure there was no way 'Teach' could keep her pace.  
"You're on a horse! That's hardly fair." But Sully declined to respond, instead concentrating on looking around her, in case of any last enemies. Spying a fighter hidden amongst some low-lying hills, she hurled a javelin, striking the Plegian in the head. Bringing her horse to a quick halt, she made sure there were no more enemies hiding in the mountains, before heading to where Chrom was. She just hoped that the Shepherds would be there soon, so they could finish this fight.

Cordelia took a deep breath, letting some of her anger flow from her body, as she looked around for her next target. Swooping down from above caught an unsuspecting soldier with her lance, piercing his stomach. Flying back up, she launched herself at the Plegians again, killing another soldier, who was too busy fighting the advancing Ylisseans to realize what was happening. Hitting a third fighter in the eye with her lance, she turned, heading to the front lines, to help the push forwards.  
"Robin, I'm here. Are we ready?" Cordelia just wanted this battle over with. Just wanted the Plegians crushed.  
"We are ready-" Robin pointed to him and the rest of the Shepherds, "-but I'm afraid I'll need you to patrol behind us, to make sure no more wyverns creep up on us. You've had experience fighting them – you're the best chance we have." Not saying a word, Cordelia turned, heading back to the start of Breakneck Pass. As soon as she thought Robin was out of earshot, she let out a stream of curses, each one progressively more imaginative. Robin thought she was a risk! A hazard to his plans! And now, the vengeance that she so desperately wanted to unleash had been denied. She was stuck with patrol duty. And she and Robin knew full well that this battle would be over by the time any Plegian reinforcements arrived. By the time any combat would have occurred near Cordelia, the Shepherds would have been celebrating their victory in Ylisstol. The wyvern riders were slow, and cumbersome, unlikely to reach Breakneck Pass in the time it would have taken for Chrom to win. Still, at least there were benefits. She wasn't in any immediate danger, and had time to sort her thoughts out. Though now was still not the time for despair, it was perhaps the time to release her anger, in case she disobeyed Robin once again. And though she would dearly love to do that, she knew the Shepherds, and Chrom, would not be best pleased. And she definitely did not want to upset Chrom any more than she had done. Therefore, she would just have to deal with the task she had been assigned. There would be times for arguments about it later. Times for regret, anger, and everything. Later.

"Right? Are we ready?" Chrom looked around him, at the host of Shepherds that accompanied him. Though their number had never been great, and today had been reduced by two, they were still a feared fighting force, an elite group. Chrom had every confidence in them that they would carry this battle forwards. Charging ahead, the inevitable Plegian attack happened – a wave of wyverns from the north, with soldiers rushing to greet them from the east. Knowing his Falchion was designed for dragon slaying, Chrom headed near the mountains, cutting down the riders that attempted to take his life. Jumping backwards, he avoided an axe swing, before leaping into the air, and landing on a low-flying wyvern. Frantically, the rider steered the wyvern higher and higher, trying to gain some altitude, but Chrom was not fazed. Knocking the rider off, he plunged his sword into the wyvern's neck, jumping back off, seemingly about to be splattered on the mountains.  
"Captain!" But Sumia was there, just as Robin had planned. Soon, Chrom was back, in the thick of fighting, with Sumia flying off, picking off weak or less-protected targets.  
"Silly Ylisseans! You dare challenge the Plegians? I'll splatter you across the canyon floor!" A great wyvern flew into view, its' rider wielding a big, heavy axe. He swooped downwards, narrowly missing Chrom. Flying back upwards, he attacked again, but Chrom managed to block, albeit barely. Sweat pouring down Chrom's face; he dodged away, trying to gain an advantage in this brutal fight. Backing up, he made sure the wyvern commander was following him. A speedy hand-axe flew towards him, catching his arm, ripping off a little flesh. Grunting in pain, Chrom avoided another flying axe, before progressing forwards, though very carefully. Rolling under another strike, he scrambled back up, managing to land a small blow on the wyvern. Though, under most circumstances, it wouldn't have done very much, due to the Falchion's ability, it made the creature hiss with pain, temporarily disrupting the Plegian commander. Exploiting this advantage, Chrom followed up with two more strikes, though it was still not enough to kill the wyvern captain.  
"Robin! Help!" Robin nodded, sending forth a bolt of thunder, which forced the Plegian to swerve sideways. Following it up with another beam of lightning, he was successful in causing the wyvern rider back within Chrom's attacking range.

"Let's finish this!" Chrom charged forwards, plunging his Falchion directly into the wyvern's neck, causing it to flail around, throwing the Plegian off. It fell to the ground, crushing the barely-alive wyvern captain, with an audible crunching of bones. No more sound was heard from the rider. Looking around, Chrom could see that most, if not all, the enemy had been routed. Smiling, he raised his sword in the air triumphantly.  
"Shepherds! I thank you for your aid. Though the Plegians have tried to break us, we will not bow to monsters! We will not bow to those who would subjugate us to an eternity of suffering! We will not bow to those who are too caught up in vengeance, who spend too long thinking about revenge and anger, that they cannot see the world change! We will stand up to them, and we will be victorious! For the good of House Ylisse, and for the good of the halidom!"

Gunlord 500 - Thank you for the review. The doc manager had a little glitch, and I only realized this after I posted - evidently I failed to catch all the paragraphs. Hopefully, this chapter should be formatted correctly.


	3. Chapter 3 - Unwanted Respite

Cordelia felt shame rise in her heart, after listening to Chrom's speech. 'Those who are too caught up in vengeance'. That was her. In Breakneck Pass, that was her. She just wanted to avenge her fallen knight-sisters, uphold their legacy... She just wanted to prove to them that she wasn't useless! But look where that got her – she could have messed up everything. If the Shepherds weren't as strong as they were, everything could have gone wrong. All because she couldn't deliver a message, all because she couldn't obey orders. All because she was too caught up in her own problems to give a damn about anybody else's. Because that was supposed to be a good way to preserve the memory of her dead comrades. Cordelia shook her head. She would have to change, fast. Otherwise... Otherwise she'd still be a failure. And she couldn't allow that. She would be the perfect pegasus knight. It would be hard, but she would have to do it. It would be her penance, in a way. Working tirelessly to become the model of courage that the others had given their life for. It would be the price she paid.  
"Cordelia." It was the night after the battle for Breakneck Pass, and Sumia was worried about her friend.  
"Sumia?"  
"The others are talking about you. About what you did."  
"I would expect no less. I fouled up. I could have caused somebody's death."  
"But... Why did you do it?"  
"I wanted vengeance. I wanted to kill the monsters who had murdered my squad. I was angry and bitter, both at the Plegians and myself."  
"At yourself? But why?" Cordelia stopped for a moment, to take a deep breath.  
"Because I wasn't told to flee. I just did so. Abandoning all the ideals I had tried to live up to, I deserted the pegasus knights when they needed me the most. In their darkest hour, I wasn't there. I told myself it was to head to Breakneck Pass, but... It wasn't. Not at first."  
"But you got to Breakneck Pass in the end!"  
"Not fast enough. The first wave of wyverns had already attacked you, and killed..." Cordelia felt her throat drying. "They killed Miriel and Stahl. If I was there... If I was there this wouldn't have happened!"  
"You tried your hardest!"  
"No. No I didn't, and by doing so two Shepherds were killed. Two lives were lost due to my cowardice. My comrades' sacrifice was for nothing. I failed them, Sumia. I let them die. Sure, they weren't kind to me, but they were still people!"  
"They... weren't kind to you?"  
"They called me 'Little Lady Genius'. Because they thought I was trying to be perfect. Thought I was trying to out-perform them."  
"But that's-"  
"I know. But they were still people. They still..." Cordelia felt tears flooding her face, "...still tried... to do what... what was right. And I failed them, damn it! I failed them!" Cordelia collapsed in a ball, water leaking from her eyes. "I failed them all! I let them die. I let them die. I let them die." Cordelia looked up at Sumia, with forlorn eyes. "How do I continue now? What do I do?"  
"It is only when you have fallen to your lowest, that you can finally soar. That's something Captain Phila told me once."  
"But... What if I can't soar? What if I'm destined to remain grounded?"  
"Then you wouldn't have become a pegasus knight. Trust me, Cordelia. You can fly. You'll be alright."  
"Thank... Thank you, Sumia. I'll try."

"Cordelia. Robin wishes to see you now." It was one day after Breakneck Pass, and from the look on Lissa's face, Cordelia knew she would be in trouble. Gulping slightly, she entered the main strategy tent, coming face to face with the Ylissean tactician.  
"Cordelia. Sit down. We have a lot to discuss." Not daring to show her nerves, Cordelia made a seat, looking directly at Robin. "You disobeyed my instructions, seeming to pay them no heed. You rushed directly ahead, into enemy fire, when they weren't distracted. Enemies that could have killed you with one shot. Not only that, but you were needed elsewhere, and, in different circumstances, that could have caused the death of one of the Shepherds. Have you anything to say about this?"  
"...They deserved it. The Plegians had to pay."  
"Look, I know you're upset at what happened to your squad, and it's natural to feel that way. But you have to contain your anger. Otherwise, you're no better than the monsters we're fighting against. Do you understand?"  
"But you weren't there! You didn't see their deaths in your mind! You didn't have to deal with the guilt of leaving your squad!"  
"Relax, Cordelia. There is a time for anger. But not on the battlefield. That is the time for rational thought. You could have been killed, and then what? Would that have helped you achieve anything? No."  
"But I-"  
"That's enough."  
"You weren't-"  
"I said that's enough. I don't want you in our next fight. Give yourself time to calm down. Give yourself time to think things over. Your actions today have proven that you are in no fit state to fight. Do not worry. We will avenge their deaths. In time, you will avenge their deaths. But for now, you need rest."  
"I-"  
"Enough!" Cordelia knew her protestations were pointless. Gloomily, she left the tent. What had she done? She was meant to be trying to become a paragon of knightly virtues! And already she had gotten into an argument! Robin was right. She had to contain her anger. Or she wouldn't ever be allowed to fight. She wouldn't ever be allowed to help Ylisse. And she couldn't have that.

"Cordelia? What did Robin want? I heard shouting, but..." It took Sumia no more than five minutes before rushing to her friend's side.  
"He... He doesn't want me in our next battle."  
"How come?"  
"Because... I need to contain my anger. He's right. I'm a risk. A stupid fool who can't control herself."  
"Don't speak like that! You have a right to be upset – those wyvern riders wiped out your squad! I'll speak to Robin for you."  
"No. Please, Sumia. I know you mean well, but I think he's right."  
"Well, if you're sure..." Cordelia nodded. "Ooh, I know. You might not be able to fight in the next battle, but you can still help! I've got scouting duty, and there's nothing saying I can't have help in that regard."  
"You'd trust me? After what I did?"  
"Sure! You're my friend, Cordelia. I know you'd put others before yourself. It's just in your nature."  
"Alright. When are we going scouting?"  
"In a couple of hours – we need to make sure there are no Plegians roaming around. Make sure those wyverns aren't too close."  
"Thank you, Sumia. Thank you."

"Ready?" Cordelia nodded, glad to be able to do something. Saddling her pegasus, her lance in hand, she set off, feeling the wind brush past her. Taking a deep breath, glad to inhale fresh air, she flew west, back towards Breakneck Pass, where the enemy were most likely to be. When she reached the place, she almost recoiled at the vile stench of putrid gore. But she was getting used to those smells now, and she realized, with a hint of sadness, that soon those smells would have no impact on her. Was losing her innocence really the price she wanted to pay for not being weak anymore? Did she really want to abandon all naivety in order to protect her friends and fellow Ylisseans? Yes. Remembering the pain she felt, she knew that being unable to act like a child was not too heavy a price.  
"Cordelia? Are you alright?" Cordelia just smiled at Sumia. She was alright. She was going to be fine, especially now that she had something to do. Scouting. That was good. That would help save lives. Help protect the Shepherds. Speeding up, she directed her pegasus to follow the winding path of Breakneck Pass, lance ready for combat.  
"Sumia – there!" Cordelia pointed to a group of wyvern riders, who seemed to be heading towards them. Sumia nodded, preparing her own weapon for battle. Dashing forwards, she struck, quickly killing one of the Plegians. Dodging a thrown hand-axe, she replied with her own javelin, though it failed to make much of an impact. Flying higher into the clouds, using them as a cover, she hurtled downwards, her lance cutting clean through another wyvern rider's head. Flying forwards, she quickly swerved to the side, to avoid the path of an oncoming Plegian, before striking at his unprotected back, her weapon finding its' way into the man's heart. Looking ahead, Cordelia could see only two more wyvern riders remaining and smiled. Moving to engage them, she dived under one, quickly wheeling herself behind the confused rider. Ending the Plegian, she turned, readying herself to fight the last one. Waiting for the wyvern to charge at her, she blocked the soldier's strike, though not without great effort, eventually managing to pull back, making the rider lurch forwards, into a defenceless position. Cordelia didn't hesitate in throwing a javelin straight at the man's face.  
"Cordelia, we should probably go back now. What if the others become worried?" But Cordelia shook her head.  
"No, Sumia. What if there are more around? We have to make sure we can't be followed."

"What do you mean?" Robin was not in a happy mood. This was the second time Cordelia had subverted him. Had gone against his word. So he might not have specified that he wanted her out of action, he had hoped that she realized he thought of her as too emotionally unstable at the moment. He had hoped she wouldn't have gone off scouting at the first opportunity. And Sumia should have known better than to offer – just because she was close to Chrom didn't mean that she could go around, interfering in Robin's carefully laid strategies! Did none of them understand that he had to manage lives? Robin sighed. Maybe he was over thinking things. Maybe it would all be alright. But even if both Sumia and Cordelia came back safely, the fact still remained – his orders had been ignored, and that was a problem. He desperately did not want to see either Sumia or Cordelia as corpses, but how could he stop that from happening if they were so willing to do stupid things? Once again, Robin sighed, paying no attention to the person delivering the bad news.  
"Robin? Are you alright?"  
"Lissa, can you tell me something? Are my orders hard to understand? Do I speak really quickly?"  
"No. We can understand you."  
"Then why is Cordelia going off on a scouting mission, when she is not fit for combat? Does she think that her emotions make her weak? Because everybody is entitled to be ruled by their feelings occasionally. Everybody has thoughts, and sometimes they affect our combat ability. Does she not realize that we're not judging her because of that? Does she not understand that she is not useless, just because sometimes she has to take a break from combat? Or is she really that angry against the Plegians? Does she really want them dead that much? Is that what the problem is? Or am I being the tyrant here? Should I send her into combat, when she is foolhardy and reckless – likely to get herself killed? Is that what she wants? Does she want to die?" Robin took a deep breath, his voice feeling the strain from his outburst. "Does she really want to die against the Plegians?"  
"Robin?"  
"Ignore me, Lissa. I'm just... disappointed. It's not your fault. When Cordelia comes back, tell her I want to speak with her. Make sure she knows it's urgent."

Cordelia flew further west, ignoring Sumia's protestations. Though she tried to convince Sumia that it was a matter of the Shepherd's safety, she knew Sumia could see through her lies. In truth, the main reason Cordelia wanted to stay out scouting was to avoid the Shepherds – Robin in particular. Though he hadn't told her specifically not to go scouting, it was clear he thought rest was the best place for her. And, though she knew he was right, she hated feeling useless. And, more than that, she feared what he would say upon her return. She was sure to be heavily berated for defying him, and, for potentially placing Sumia in danger. It was obvious that Robin feared she would do something reckless, and place her comrades in danger. And Cordelia had to admit he was probably right. She wasn't exactly feeling composed. But she didn't care. Though it was wrong, she just wanted to stay away from the Shepherds. In addition, she was still harbouring some anger against the Plegians. Wouldn't it be wise to let it out now, rather then in any major fights, or, indeed, against any of her fellow Ylisseans? Wasn't this the smartest choice? 'No, you stupid fool, the smartest choice would be to let go of your anger – the Plegians who had killed your knight-sisters are dead now. Let the past be, and don't disturb it.' That's what the rational part of her body said. But Cordelia wouldn't be ruled by rational thought. At the moment, she was a creature of instinct, and her instinct was to hunt down the wyverns that were undoubtedly nearby. Hunt them down and kill them. All of them. More anger burning through her body, she flew in search of them.  
"Are you sure about this, Cordelia? It just doesn't seem... right."  
"I know, Sumia. But I have to do this. Maybe then... my fellow pegasus knights will finally be avenged." Cordelia paused for a moment. "You should probably return back. I don't want to drag you into any more trouble. You'll probably catch hell from Robin just for this."  
"I'd rather Robin mad at me then you dead. I'm not leaving. Not until you are."  
"Thank you." Cordelia smiled, her rage subsiding for a moment. "Now come on, we have scouting to do." Gripping the reins tightly, Cordelia flew west, scanning for any threats. It wasn't long before she came across another group of Plegians. Aiming her spear, she threw it, though it failed to hit its' mark.  
"That's the little pegasus knight runaway, isn't it? Well, boys, what are we waiting for? Let's see if she screams louder than the others!" Cordelia glared at the wyvern riders with nothing but pure hatred. How dare they say something like that! They truly had no respect for human life, did they? Anger gripping her heart, and filling her mouth, she prepared to speak.  
"You may think I'm nothing more than a runaway. But I've time to contemplate what I've done. What I've seen. And I've had time to forge my despair. Make it my weapon. Make it the instrument of your utter destruction."  
"Big talk from a coward who couldn't even save their squad mates. But if you think you are truly ready, then who am I to refuse another kill?" Cordelia didn't respond to the wyvern commander, opting instead to attack, quickly flying into the crowd of riders. Killing two of them in the blink of an eye, she pulled backwards, letting the rest of them come to her. With barely-controlled restraint, she threw a spear into another enemy's eye, letting him tumble to the ground below. As another Plegian approached her, she charged forwards, her lance quickly finding its' way through the man's stomach. An axe hurtled towards her, and she ducked in her saddle to avoid it. Another one flying towards her, she tried ducking again, but this axe was aimed lower, and it hit her chest, causing her cry out. Snarling angrily, tears of pain in her eyes, she quickly skewered the offending enemy. A shout sounded from behind her, and she turned, just in time to dodge a heavy axe strike. Avoiding the next blow, she retaliated, vanquishing the wyvern rider.  
"Cordelia, there are reinforcements! We have to pull back now. We can't win this battle."  
"You should listen to your friend, little runaway. Or you might meet the safe fate as your fallen friends."  
"No! Sumia, you can retreat if you wish, but I'm through with running. It... Last time I retreated..." Cordelia faced the host of reinforcements that came from the north, preparing herself for what would be a bloody battle.  
"If you're staying then I will. I'm not letting you die. Not if I can help it."  
"Sumia, please. Flee. I don't want you to die because of me. You're my... my only remaining friend."  
"And that's why I refuse to leave. I'm sorry, Cordelia."  
"Alright. Thank you." Smiling, Cordelia waited for the first wyvern to move towards her, before dodging his attack, replying with her own fatal lance strike. Piercing through another's flesh, she then flew back, allowing the next enemy to approach. As he flew forwards, she dived to the side, before launching a spear into his chest. Two more wyverns appeared to the left of her, and she spun around, though not quick enough to avoid a hand axe from cutting into the armour on her arm. Despite the fact that it didn't stick into her, it still made a small cut, enough to make her snarl in pain. Another axe hurtled towards her, this one hitting her leg, once again grazing her flesh. Charging at the wyvern rider who had hit her, Cordelia quickly killed him, before injuring the other with a speedy javelin to the arm. Stabbing into the man's stomach, she ripped her weapon free, before flying back east, retreating slightly. As three Plegians advanced, Cordelia aimed her spear, catching one in the throat. Stabbing the leftmost wyvern rider, she turned to look at the rightmost Plegian. Her eyes burning with hate, she moved to engage him, but in her haste failed to dodge a heavy axe strike, that winded her, leaving her panting for breath. Barely managing to avoid a potentially-fatal second blow, she pulled backwards, now aware she may have to retreat. Regaining some air in her lungs, she motioned to Sumia to fall back, and pushed her pegasus towards the other side of Breakneck Pass, though she made sure the enemy was following her. Waiting for the Plegians to reach her, she quickly stabbed forwards, catching one of the wyverns in the heart. As another moved forwards, she wheeled downwards, striking the rider in the back.  
"So, the little runaway finally finds some courage, does she? Well, it doesn't matter – soon you're going to regret not living up to your name!" The wyvern captain charged at her, a vicious axe in his hands. Nearly caught off-guard by his speed, Cordelia barely managed to dodge his first strike. But she was completely unprepared for him to follow up so quickly, and the force of the attack nearly knocked her off her pegasus. Knowing that she had to keep away from the Plegian, Cordelia baited him by throwing a spear, knowing it wouldn't really do much damage, but would irritate the captain. As she suspected, the Plegian snarled angrily, swinging his axe around several times, though he failed to hit Cordelia. Taking a deep breath, she avoided another barrage of assaults, before quickly lunging in, then pulling back out again. Though her attack didn't do much, it managed to anger the wyvern rider even more, causing him to scream curses at the top of his lungs. Rage blazing in his eyes, he flew straight towards Cordelia, though only one of his strikes hit. But it was enough to force Cordelia backwards, and make her scream in pain. Biting back tears of anguish, she flew away from her opponent, although not without hurling another spear. Turning sharply, she made sure her enemy was following her. When she was sure he was, she stopped, before swerving to her left. Managing to work in a quick attack, into the wyvern rider's unprotected side, she then flew off, avoiding the Plegian's fury. Launching herself from behind him, she thrust her spear into the back of his neck, ending his rage. Taking a deep breath, Cordelia felt herself being overcome with a wave of exhaustion. She knew she'd have to head back to camp.  
"Come on, Sumia. We need to return. We've been out long enough."


	4. Chapter 4 - A Shared Loss

"So. You disobeyed my orders. Anything to say for yourself, Cordelia?"  
"You told me to stay out of the next battle, Robin. You said nothing about going scouting."  
"I thought it would be obvious I wanted you to avoid any fighting altogether."  
"We were just going scouting."  
"In an area that had known enemy presence."  
"...I'm sorry, Robin. But I can't just stay in this camp. I... I need to fight. I need to have some purpose."  
"You will, Cordelia. In time, you will. But for now, you have to work out your issues. Otherwise, you're nothing more than a hazard. And, I'm sorry for the brutality of my words, but they're the truth. If you cannot learn to manage your anger and your grief, then you will get yourself killed. And none of us want to see you, or anyone else, die."  
"I know, but... Those Plegians... They... They keep reminding me of what happened. They keep taunting me, and I can't take it anymore! I just want them to die. I know that's a horrible thing to say. But I just want them all to die."  
"We all do. We all want those monsters to suffer. But we have to wait. We can't go charging off. Because, if you do... Then..." Robin paused, taking a deep breath, "we'll have to find something else for you to do. Just for a small time."  
"You mean..."  
"I'm sorry, Cordelia. But I have to manage the safety of everyone. And, until you can learn that violence does not solve everything, you are a hazard. I will be talking with Sumia as well about this." Robin smiled. "You're not the only one in trouble."  
"Understood, Robin. Is that all?"  
"Yes. You may depart." When she was sure she was out of earshot of anybody, Cordelia began letting out a stream of curses, mostly aimed at herself. How had she been so stupid? Why had she consented to Sumia's idea? She knew it would have just gotten her into trouble, so why did she do it? Cordelia shook her head. She didn't know why she couldn't just stay out of it. But she couldn't. That much was clear. And now... Now her life as a Shepherd was at risk. If she didn't learn to control herself, then... Then she would no longer be able to help out the Ylisseans. That was what Robin had decreed. And, really, who could blame him? It wasn't fair for her to constantly disrupt his carefully-created tactics. It was dangerous and reckless. It was stupid. That was what Cordelia was being. Utterly stupid. And she'd have to learn. Have to learn how to control herself. Have to learn how not to give in to her primal instincts. Then, she would be able to fight. And only then.

"So, what happened? How did your talk with Cordelia go?" Robin looked at Chrom sadly, answering his question with a simple facial expression.  
"That badly?"  
"She's damaged, Chrom. Those Plegians... They... They damaged her, Chrom. And I don't how to fix it."  
"She just needs time to think. Time to sort out her problems. Then she can help this war effort. Help stop King Gangrel."  
"But I... I don't know if she will give herself time. What if she charges off again? What then? We need to keep her safe, Chrom."  
"She won't. Trust me, Robin. Our pegasus knights are some of the best. Cordelia will follow orders. We just have to trust her."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Sumia trusts her. And, therefore I do."  
"But Sumia..." Chrom glared at Robin and he stopped. "Alright. I have an idea, about how to stop her doing anything reckless, anyway. How much does she know about apothecaries?"

"Ricken. I have an important message from Robin!" Lissa surprised the young mage, causing him to drop his spellbook.  
"Must you always sneak up on me like that? Sheesh..."  
"I'm sorry..."  
"Alright. What does Robin want?"  
"You know Cordelia?"  
"The pegasus knight who disobeyed our tactician? Who arrived late? Who..." Ricken stopped, his voice starting to go raw.  
"You're to help her!"  
"With... what?" His face paled, though Lissa didn't seem to notice.  
"Potion-making. Robin's sure you've been keeping up with your studies, and he knows how eager you are to demonstrate all you've learned, so he thought this would be a good opportunity."  
"He what? But I-I haven't been... keeping up."  
"He also told me that you might say that." Ricken muttered something under his breath.  
"What was that, Ricken?" Lissa smiled teasingly.  
"Nothing. So I suppose this will be a good opportunity to practice in some... arts I have been neglecting. And I suppose Robin predicted I would say that too?"  
"Yup!" Ricken muttered again.

"Sumia..." Robin looked at her with an unreadable expression. "We have much to talk about."  
"Is this about the scouting?"  
"Indeed it is. Look, I know you had the best intentions, and I thank you for staying with Cordelia. But did you not realize that this was breaking my sanction?" She shook her head. "You thought that this would be another way to help? Fair enough. Well, part of me wants to let you off the hook. However, there is something urgent that needs doing, and so this task falls to you - supervise Ricken and Cordelia. They will have some... issues to work out. I want you in there to stop them killing each other." Sumia nodded. "Excellent. Thank you, Sumia. And I know you're trying to do good. Just be careful." She nodded again, and turned to leave.

"Cordelia! Important news from Robin." Cordelia turned to look at Sumia with a worried expression. Her friend had just arrived back from a talk with Robin.  
"What... What is it?"  
"Don't worry. It's nothing bad. He wants you to learn the ways of potion-making from Ricken."  
"But... why?"  
"To give you something to do that doesn't involve fighting. He wants to help you help against the Plegians. The first lesson's tonight."  
"Tonight? Do I not get a say in this?"  
"Do you really want to cross Robin? Besides, I'll be there to supervise!"  
"You? Why?"  
"So you don't end up killing each other, apparently."  
"But why would..." Cordelia's face paled, and she felt the sudden urge to be sick. Ricken was... Miriel's student. A tear rolled down her cheek. "Oh gods..."  
"Cordelia?" She swallowed, wiping away the traces of her emotion.  
"I'm fine. It's just... Let's get this over with."  
"Well, I guess you better get ready. Hope... nothing happens." Cordelia knew what Sumia meant. 'Hope you don't anger Robin'. But she wasn't going to. She was going to make sure nothing bad happened tonight, make sure there was no way that she could be forced out of the Shepherds. Though potion-making hadn't really occurred to her as a discipline, it would be intriguing, nonetheless. And hopefully it would keep her mind off... other matters.

"Oh. You're here." Ricken looked at Cordelia, with barely-hidden disdain. Sumia was by his side, looking a little timid already.  
"Indeed." Cordelia ignored his hostile tone. "If you don't mind me asking, what exactly are we... are we going to do?"  
"Robin wants you to learn from me about apothecaries. I'm not sure why exactly, but..." Ricken swallowed his words, not daring to speak his mind.  
"You don't have to be afraid of me. What's happened has happened. Let's concentrate on happier matters, shall we?"  
"It would sure be easier with Miriel around."  
"I'm sorry. I... I arrived late. I tried, and I failed."  
"And for your failure, two people died!"  
"I..." Cordelia took a deep breath. Anger was charging through her, and she tried to calm herself. Sumia cleared her throat, looking at Ricken.  
"That's enough! Ricken, Cordelia suffered as well. Her... Her entire squad was wiped out!"  
"And I suppose that's why she's a bloody psychopath!"  
"She isn't! She just..."  
"I just feel a little anger on the battlefield, that's all. But don't worry. As long as you do nothing to upset me, you'll be fine. Now, shall we continue with this lesson, or will I have to be reminded of Breakneck Pass?" Ricken swallowed.  
"Right... Sorry... So, um, what... What do you know of making potions and vulneraries?"  
"You mix together herbs you find, don't you?"  
"Along with other things, but yes, that is the basic premise. Well, at least that's what I've found so far." Ricken invited Cordelia to follow him. "Come; let me show you what I've been making."

Inside the small apothecary's tent was a various array of differing potions, poisons and ingredients. Racks and racks of vials, filled with various-coloured liquid were sorted by type into shelves.  
"Is this your station?" Ricken just shook his head, pointing to a cluttered area just right of the tidy and sorted workplace. Potions were stacked on top of each other, with seemingly no regard for order or care. Herbs were scattered around carelessly, with some having been ripped apart. Piled up lazily on one shelf were a bunch of disorganized papers, hanging out. On top of them was an ink pot and quill, though the liquid in the glass container had been drained, leaving just dust and a small cobweb inside.  
"So this is your workplace. It's a little… untidy. Would you like some help reorganizing?"  
"Thanks for the offer, but I can do it myself. I'm not a child, you know."  
"Sorry. It was only a suggestion. But in that case, shall we begin?"  
"Sure! First, we need to cover the basics of the apothecary trade. Namely, how to identify potions."  
"Is there an easy way to do this?"  
"Only if you have a book. Still, there are some you should always remember as they can be very helpful." Ricken took a strange liquid. Cordelia looked at it for a moment, before realizing what it was - a vulnerary.

"So, what's next, Robin? What do you recommend we do?"  
"In all honesty, Chrom, we should return to Ylisstol with your sister, after seeking help from the khans. I know we want to end this quickly, but if we are caught unprepared..."  
"Indeed. As well as this, we should consult with Emmeryn. Though her input... may be limited."  
"Though she does not like war, Chrom, that does not mean she doesn't have a sharp mind. You would do well not to underestimate your sister. It may cost you dearly." Chrom just rolled his eyes. "But, yes, I agree with you. We should consult with Lady Emmeryn."  
"And then?"  
"We'll have to formulate a strategy for dealing with Plegia."  
"How many battles will that take? More than one?"  
"I know what you're concerned about, Chrom. Don't worry, I have it all under control. I will judge the mental state of each of the Shepherds, to make sure they are combat-ready. And I will do my utmost to make sure nobody falls in battle again. You have my word, as both a loyal tactician and a friend."  
"Thank you, Robin. You've done a lot for the Shepherds."  
"But not enough."  
"Robin, you don't need to be upset about…"  
"I know. But… They didn't deserve to die, Chrom. They didn't deserve to die."  
"Robin, it wasn't your fault this happened. Nobody could have foreseen that happening."  
"A master tactician would have. A better tactician than me would have."

Soon, the Shepherds came to Regna Ferox. Cordelia hadn't seen anything quite like it. She knew from the stories told at Ylisse that it was a warrior realm, filled with mighty fighters of all types. She wasn't quite sure what to expect, but she knew she need not be afraid. Regna Ferox's khan, in gratitude for Chrom's help, had promised assistance for the Ylisseans in the war against Plegia. The Shepherds were here in order to collect the help, as well as discuss strategy. Well, Robin was, at least. Robin. Cordelia felt sorry for the tactician, being charged with the welfare and safety of the Ylissean forces. It wasn't an easy job. But he was well-suited to the task. He always had plans. Plans that wouldn't let anybody die. It was only when unknown variables came into effect that those plans failed. Variables like... Cordelia felt a tear in her eye. She knew she was one of those unknown variables. A spanner in the works. But... was she justified? Weren't her actions what anybody would do given the circumstances? She expressed her grief, her shame, her guilt into anger. Wasn't that just a human emotion? Yes. It was. She just made a mistake. And she was going to do better. Become better. Cordelia smiled, wiping the tear away. She didn't need to beat herself up over this. Though sacrifices had been made, mistakes had happened, Cordelia knew she was going to learn from them. She wouldn't waste them. She would use this time to make herself better.

Khan Flavia looked at the entrance where Chrom and Robin were coming in from, a smile on her face. Next to her stood the former ruler of Ferox, the East-Khan Basilio, who was in remarkably high spirits for someone facing the people who dethroned him. But, that was Ferox's way. The strongest ruled, and the weaker had to accept that. It was almost idealistic in a sense, that there was a clear hierarchy, but said hierarchy was not down to nobility or birth-right, but on ability. And indeed, most Feroxians looked happy and at ease, taking orders from people who could beat them in a fight. And if they had a problem with their leaders, there was always the option of a challenge.  
"Khan Flavia. Thank you for receiving us." Robin extended his hand, bowing courteously.  
"Haven't I told you to drop the formalities yet?"  
"My apologies. I did not mean to upset you."  
"I cannot tell if you were mocking me just then."  
"I can assure you, my tactician here does not intentionally seek to offend. Probably." Flavia laughed, shaking hands with Chrom as well.  
"Well, I'm sure you can trust him not to disadvantage you in times of political maneuvering. Which brings me onto my question - are you here for Ferox's aid?"  
"Indeed. Gangrel has declared open war on Ylisse. We have fought two major battles against the Plegians. There have been casualties, some more severe than we imagined."  
"Then there is no more time to lose. We must-" Just that moment a messenger burst through the door, a grim look on his face. Clearing his throat, he hurried to where Flavia was.  
"Khan Flavia. Apologies to interrupt, but I bring urgent news from Ylisse." Once again, the messenger cleared his throat. "Ylisstol has fallen. Gangrel has... taken Exalt Emmeryn to Plegia. She is to be publicly executed by noon."  
"What?" A resounding chorus of questions erupted from the room.  
"That... That monster has my sister? That damned tyrant has gone too far. Far too far." Chrom paused for a moment. "We march to Plegia. Immediately."  
"We can't."  
"Khan Flavia, he has my sister! He's going to kill my sister!"  
"I know, Chrom, and I understand your distress. But if you cannot learn to manage your anger and your grief, then you will get yourself killed. We're not telling you to do nothing, just telling you to act wisely. We will save your sister, Chrom. But we will not pay with your life." Robin put his hand on Chrom's shoulder.  
"Trust me, Chrom. I will see us through this. I promise you, I will. It's all going to be fine."  
"Th-Thank you. All of you. Come on, Robin. We need to address the Shepherds. Goodbye, Flavia. We'll be just a minute."

"Shepherds, I bring... tragic news. Ylisstol has fallen. Exalt Emmeryn... has been taken by Gangrel, to be executed by noon. Feroxian scouts inform us this will be taking place at the courtyard of Plegia Castle. I ask you, not just as Shepherds, or loyal servants to Ylisse, but as friends to help me. I ask you to help me rescue my sister, our exalt, and bring her safely back home. I ask you to help me fight against the Plegians and their evil ruler, Mad King Gangrel, so that we may know peace. It will be a difficult undertaking, and I cannot promise anybody's safety. People may die, friendships may be lost. But, if you are willing and ready to lend your aid, then I am willing and ready to accept it. So, Shepherds, I ask - is there anybody would like to volunteer their services?" For a brief, fleeting moment there was silence. Then, a massive wave of shouting erupted from the Ylisseans. Pledges of allegiance, promises of assistance, threats to Plegia... All were heard from the crowd gathered around Chrom. Smiling, he put up his hand, quelling the noise.  
"Thank you, Shepherds. Truly, I am blessed to have such a loyal group of fighters. And now, we will show King Gangrel the price for his cruelty. He will learn that every action has a consequence, and that we will not let him assault the safety of our nation. We will make him pay. I promise you, Shepherds. We will make him pay."

That night, the Shepherds were making their leave towards Plegia. Anticipation filled the air, and the usual noise and mayhem that filled the camp was nowhere to be seen. The grave revelation of Emmeryn's disappearance had sobered even the most childish of soldiers, and everyone was looking towards the future with bleak apprehension. Cordelia felt her fists clench as she remembered what Chrom had relayed to them. Emmeryn... The Plegians were going to execute her. Kill her. Had they no empathy? Were there no lows to which they would not stoop? Cordelia felt anger rising in her throat, and resisted the urge to exhale a stream of insults. She would have to calm down. Not let anger become her master. But how could she do that? Her potion-making sessions with Ricken had been cancelled for today, on account of the day's events. Though she still didn't know if she looked forwards to them or not. Certainly, the actual science was interesting, and it gave Cordelia a certain pride to know that she could create medicine that would save a soldier's life, but it was complicated work. Not to mention Ricken himself often stuttered during teaching, or sometimes forgot his next sentence. Not that Cordelia could blame him. She knew why this was the case - it was because of her. Ricken seemed slightly scared of her after what she had done in Breakneck Pass. After how she had disobeyed Robin's orders, just to unleash her vengeance. Not to mention that he harboured residual resentment towards her. It made sense, really. Despite his protestations, Ricken still sometimes acted like a child - to be expected, of course. Whereas most Shepherds were fully-grown adults, Ricken was still a teenager - it was only natural he acted younger than the rest. And that meant that he was more susceptible to certain emotions - fear and awe. So Cordelia couldn't really fault him for that. Though she was trying to act kinder to him, she knew it would take more than one session for that to have an impact. Until then, Cordelia knew she would just have to cope with it. And she would have to not let anger take control of her again.


End file.
